


Rediscovery

by blue_ackerbond



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Anxiety, Comfort, Cuddling, Depression, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Snuggling, Sweet, and they were ROOMMATES, for now everything is PG but I'll change tags as necessary, galo knows CBT, galolio, it ain't perfect though, soft, yes I edited this we do NOT die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26972224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_ackerbond/pseuds/blue_ackerbond
Summary: After the Promare leave, Lio feels a loss of identity and purpose. Galo is determined to help his new roommate get through this. Lots of cuddling ensues because that's my weakness.
Relationships: Lio Fotia & Galo Thymos, Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 8
Kudos: 35





	1. Lost

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this through a personal lens of depression and anxiety. I'm sure there are plenty of others who can relate to it too, so I hope you can enjoy and find some comfort here! <3

Atop the grounded Parnassus, dawn’s light carved out shadows upon soot stained faces. Firefighting recruit Galo Thymos began to grin, despite the chaos of the city before him. Society was broken, but its burns could now at last begin to heal. A rose-colored world appeared before him as pink clouds filtered sunrays through their millions of tiny prisms, catching his attention in the purple, amber-flecked eyes of the young man at his side. He didn’t notice he was staring until Lio looked back up at him, suddenly appearing much more drained.

“I feel so… cold,” Lio said quietly. 

“Yeah well you're shirtless,” Galo observed, despite being just as shirtless. Then, more softly, he added: “Let’s head back to the station. We’ve got some blankets.”

Lio didn’t say anything. He nodded, barely registering, consumed by a strange, weightless yet heavy sensation instead. 

“Lio?” Galo placed a broad hand on his shoulder. That too, felt detached, like Lio wasn’t in his own body.

Upon opening his eyes, Lio was met with the dim view of an unfamiliar ceiling, which by itself wasn’t irregular. He was a wanderer after all, sleeping wherever circumstance dictated, most often un structures constructed from his burnish flames. What made this different was how comfortable he felt. He was in an actual bed, swaddled in blankets and padded with plush pillows. He rolled onto his side and took in the fresh scent as his brain began whirring again. 

What was so familiar and gentle about this, he wondered? He opened his eyes again, and then it registered. Lio sat up, eyes on a poster of a man holding what looked like a decorative upside-down mop. What had Galo called it? A matoi? Galo. That’s right. This was Galo’s apartment above Station 3.

Lio recalled the man quite literally fireman carrying him up the stairs the other morning after he mentioned feeling a bit dizzied and nauseous. That sounded like the kind of flamboyant overreaction one could expect from Galo.

What time was it? Lio swung his legs out of bed and walked over to the window, drawing back the curtains. Yep. It was dark outside. 

Lio’s stomach grumbled and he tried to moisten his chapped lips. He wrapped himself in a blanket and cracked open the door, venturing outside the bedroom on bare feet.

The kitchen greeted him to his right, and soon Lio was rifling through the cabinets, grabbing a box of cereal and a few nutrition bars. As he was searching for the cups, he noticed footsteps approaching from behind him.

“Lio! You’re awake,” came Galo’s enthusiastic voice. Lio spun around, intending to make some sort of imposing impression as he usually did, but was met with a snicker instead, the corners of Galo’s eyes crinkling as he covered his mouth. 

Lio flushed, now very aware of the fact that he was, in fact, a small man clad in only boxer shorts and an oversized blanket, standing in the middle of Galo’s kitchen and clutching a cereal box like it was a newborn child.

“I guess you’re hungry, huh?” Galo asked, serious this time. 

Lio opened his mouth to confirm, but the sound that came out was cracked and dry. Galo’s brows knit. “Sit down at the counter,” he instructed. “I’ll make you something. You good with breakfast food?”

Lio complied, thanking Galo quietly as he was handed a glass of water.

The way his hand shook as he reached to take it made him concerned, but soon he was too busy hoovering down eggs and toast to take the thought much further.

After he ate, Galo showed him around the small apartment, designating a pink towel in the bathroom as Lio’s, telling him how to work the television, and demonstrating how to open the tricky balcony door. 

“Galo,” Lio said at last, as they found themselves back in the living room. 

“Yeah, what is it?” Galo asked.

“You’re making it sound like I’ll be staying here for a while. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“If I wasn’t okay with it I would let you know.” Galo smiled. “You’re totally welcome here; besides, it’s not like you have anywhere else to go.”

Lio felt his stomach plummet. All of a sudden he felt the need to curl up and hide, or to take off somewhere, but was met with sharp anxiety as he realized that there was nowhere to run to, and nowhere of comfort to take shelter. “Right,” he said, breathing shallowly. Lio drew the blanket tighter around his thin frame, mouth dry as he felt his heart beating in his ribcage. 

A hot tear spilled down his cheek.

“Lio?” Galo spoke in surprise. “Lio! Why are you crying? What’s wrong? Does something hurt?”

“Yes.” Lio clutched at his chest. “In here,” Lio choked through the sudden onslaught of sobs.

“Your heart?”

“My whole insides.” Lio said, trying and failing to hold back his tears as he slowly folded in on himself and sank to the ground, hugging himself tightly. Setting free his emotions seemed to have stirred up his reasons for feeling hopeless. His mind flooded with dark thoughts.

“Just to be clear,” Galo said, “we’re talking about your emotions and not any ruptured organs, correct?”

“There’s nothing left of me, Galo,” Lio choked out. “There’s literally nothing that I want to live for anymore and I’m terrified. I don’t want to want to die.”

Galo took his hands in his own, settling in front of him on the carpet. “Lio, it’s my job to save lives. A life is not saved until it can take care of itself. I’m going to look after you until you get through this.”

“How can you even be sure there’s an end?”

“Because you’re still Lio. You’ve got your soul and your heart and your pride. And me. You’ve got me. Can I give you a hug?”

Lio nodded.

He thought he had been crying before, but suddenly, enveloped in Galo’s sturdy embrace, Lio’s body wracked with tears and jagged inhales. They stayed that way for a while, until Galo pulled him to his feet and lifted him up, carrying him to his room and laying him on the bed, arranging the blankets so that Lio would be comfortable. 

“I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re at least a little okay,” Galo said, sitting beside him. Do you need another hug, firebug?

“Just hold me,” Lio said, shamelessly. “I need an anchor. I’m—I’m drifting away.”

Galo wrapped his arms around Lio’s small frame and brought him close to his chest, head over his heart. 

“Just breathe, Lio. Breathe and focus on the way this feels.” Galo began to stroke Lio’s hair gently, grounding him in that moment as his breathing gradually steadied. 

“You’re right here,” Galo said softly. “You’re here and I’m not letting you go.”


	2. A Reason

Waking up in someone’s arms was brand new to Lio. The rising and falling of the fireman’s chest against his cheek was soothing, and he couldn’t help nuzzling closer as he felt his heartbeat accelerating for no apparent reason. 

Much to Lio’s mortification, Galo laughed lightly. Lio sat up immediately.

“If you were awake already why didn’t you get up?” Lio grumbled. 

“You looked too comfy to disturb,” Galo shrugged, stretching his arms above his head. 

“I’m sorry,” Lio said, drawing his knees up to his chin, embarrassed. 

“Nothing to be sorry for, buddy. You deserve cuddles!”

“You—” Lio felt his face flush and quickly turned away, pretending to fix his hair. Was Galo flirting or bro-zoning him? Or was that just how he was? They hadn’t known each other long enough for Lio to be sure. 

These bubbling feelings were certainly irritating, however. The fact that he wanted Galo to hold him again. He wanted the man to fill the void in his chest left by the Promare. Human contact had never been something Lio craved before, but now he seemed desperate to feel another pulse alongside his own, something to replace the inferno. 

“Hey, you want to take a shower now?” Galo suggested. “I don’t know about you, but I still feel like I need another one after that whole mess.”

“Yes please,” Lio said, crawling out of the bed. Why did Galo have to phrase things the way he did? It sounded like he wanted to take a shower together, which Lio knew wasn’t the case, but it still left him flustered. He didn’t have a crush on Galo exactly; no, that couldn’t be it, but the guy was certainly way too endearing for Lio to handle. 

“You go first,” Galo offered. It’s almost noon so I’m gonna order some pizza. What do you want on yours?”

“Oh, I’ll eat pretty much anything,” Lio lied. He didn’t like meat on his pizza, but there was no way he was going to be picky when Galo was being so hospitable. Galo narrowed his eyes slightly but left it at that.

“Pink towel’s yours, remember?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Want me to invite Guera and Meis over? It might be nice to have someone familiar around, yeah?”

“I only met them a day or so before I met you,” Lio admitted. 

“But—I thought they were your top generals.” 

“They were top generals, yes. But I wasn’t their leader. That was more or less impromptu for the sake of the rescue op, where we needed to get captured in order to help the other escape. That’s the only reason we started that fire, you know.”

“Oh.” Galo was quiet for a moment. “Well, I guess I honestly don’t know much about you, huh?” He asked.

“I don’t know much about you either,” Lio said.

“We’ve got plenty of time to fix that.” Galo smiled. “Same with Guiera and Meis. They’re staying in Remi’s spare room just across the street, so we can meet up whenever you’re ready.”

“Can I ask something?” Lio began, causing Galo to pause and turn back. 

“What’s up?”

“Why are you being so kind to me when you barely know me?” 

Galo looked genuinely confused. “You just saved the planet, went through significant trauma, saved the lives of millions, protected me with your own life force, and after all that you need a reason for me to buy you pizza?”

“Well, not just that,” Lio reminded him, chest feeling tight again. “You’re not just letting me crash here, you’re looking after me. I don’t—I don’t deserve that.”

“You’re one crazy bastard, you know that?” Galo mused. 

“Excuse me?”

“I said you’re crazy,” Galo repeated with a smile that was just a little too cute. “Just go shower already.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Wishing everyone the best <3

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are super appreciated! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy <3


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